Lapse in Time
by Theo Gabrielle
Summary: Its been a year since the Great War, and Hitomi and Van have both moved on with their lives, until one day when Hitomi is accidenlty transported to Gaea and all Van can find is her duffel bag. Will he ever see her again? *chapter 7 is up!*
1. Return to Fanelia

Lapse in Time: Prologue

The wind blew, harder and harder. Dark clouds formed in the afternoon sky, warning the people below of an oncoming storm. But she didn't care. Hitomi didn't even hear the sound of booming thunder. All that was audible to the young athlete was the beating of her feet against the track and her quick, steady breath. She ran faster and faster, never stopping, each stride bringing her closer to her destination. Even when she had passed the white line, she continued for quite a distance. Only the ecstatic voice of her friend could bring her out of the world that her mind only had created.

"Hitomi!" Yukari cried out excitedly while running after her friend. "You did it! You did it!"

Hitomi held out her arms, welcoming her friend's warm embrace. "I won the race?" she asked happily.

"You won the race and you beat thirteen seconds! You're amazing!" Yukari said, smiling.

Only seconds afterwards, Hitomi found herself surrounded by family and friends, all of them overly excited.

"Excellent job!" her father exclaimed.

"You're amazing Hitomi! I wish I could run like you can!" said a friend.

The comments flew at her like a raging storm. And all she wanted to do was escape it. Hitomi hadn't won the race for them; she had won it for herself. It was proof, proof that she had done the one thing that she had thought to be impossible. She had moved on.

When she had the chance, Hitomi made the short trip down to the train station. With only an umbrella and a coat to protect her from the icy rain that was now falling from the darkened sky, she walked towards the water. Looking out at the ocean, she whispered a name, a name of a boy who had forever changed her. 

"Van," she said.

Suddenly the boy appeared on the rocks that sat several meters from the shore. His loving smile made Hitomi's heart melt.

"I did it Van," she said. "I'm doing just fine." Van's smile brightened even more.

"I miss you Van, and maybe one day I'll come back to Gaea, to Fanelia. But for now I think I'll just live among my own people. I'll give myself time to grow up, and then I shall decide."

Van nodded his head in agreement. "And I shall be waiting," he replied as his image slowly faded away.

Hitomi blew a kiss towards the rocks where Van had just been sitting, then turned towards the train station.

_Till we meet again, my love,_ she thought.

Chapter 1: Return to Fanelia

It was a beautiful afternoon. Fluffy white clouds gathered in the sky above, and the sun's warmth brought happiness to the people bellow. Children ran around, playing youthful games while their parents watched with proud eyes.

On one side of the park, a young woman was sitting on an old bench, moving her pen smoothly across the paper before her. Every so often she would look up from her writing and watch the clouds moving and changing.

_Dear Diary_, she wrote.

_The clouds are so beautiful today. I wish I could reach out and touch them. I'm sure they would be very soft. Yesturday I won the race! And I beat thirteen seconds! Yukari was so happy for me; you should've seen her face when she told me the news! It has really been hard for me over the last year. I don't believe I've told you yet, have I? I guess I was too busy to write about it._

_When I returned from Gaea, the school year was already over. In order to catch up, I had to take summer school so that I could pass into the next grade. I was so busy that summer that I barely had enough time to practice for track. So when school started and it was time for tryouts, I almost didn't make the team. And to think I used to be one of the fastest runners on the girls team! It took a lot of practice to improve. And oh how I missed Gaea and my friends, Allen, Millerna, Merle, Van; especially Van. There was always something about Van that I found interesting. Maybe it was his hidden personality. Maybe I could sense that._

_I wonder what he's doing now. We talk telepathically sometimes, and every once in a while we see each other. Like last night. I went down to the harbor and saw him there. I told him that I was planning on staying here on Earth for a while. I have a good reason. I'm still only sixteen years old; I have my whole life ahead of me. That's why I left Fanelia in the first place. It's hard to tell if a teenage love is real. What if I didn't love Van? It's best that I stay here and grow up first. Then I can decide whether my love for Van is real and if it's worth it to move to Fanelia, or anywhere in Gaea for that matter. Still, I do miss him. Well, I should go practice for finals. Thank you for listening._

The young woman put her diary away her in bag, and, after taking one final glance at the blue sky she slowly walked away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Come on Hitomi! Run as though you were in the finals!" Yukari scolded. Hitomi seemed very distracted today. After her strange disappearance, she would space out every so often. Yukari was beginning to wonder if Hitomi actually did know what had happened to herself during those months that she had been gone.

Hitomi ran as fast as her aching legs could carry her, but she just couldn't concentrate. She felt as though something was going to happen very soon, something bad. Ever since her return to Earth, her visions had completely stopped, so this worried her greatly. What on earth could be so important that her psychic powers were reawakening in order to warn her?

Hitomi soon paid for her absent minded behavior. She tripped on a rock that had been laying on the track and fell onto her left side.

"Hitomi, are you ok?" Yukari called, running after her. Hitomi stood up and smiled, even though her left leg was stinging.

"Yeah, I'm ok...." she began.

"If you concentrated on your running Hitomi you wouldn't trip!" Yukari scolded. "Why are you so distracted today anyway?"

"Well....um....I...."

"Oh, don't worry about it. We have half an hour left; how about we go get an iced cappuccino instead? It's getting really hot" Hitomi nodded.

"I could really use one right now. I'm famished." Hitomi quickly grabbed her bag and ran after Yukari, trying her best to hide her worried expression.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Everything is going well, your Highness," a middle aged man announced. "At current rates, Fanelia should be completely rebuilt within the next few years."

"That's excellent Pyrus," a young boy replied unenthusiastically.

"Lord Van, why is it that you are often so depressed? It can't possibly have anything to do with the Great War, could it? That was almost a year ago. We have no time to worry about the past."

"It's nothing of your concern," Van replied. Pyrus nodded his head and walked out of the room. Van sighed heavily and clutched the pendant that was always around his neck.

Van thought about Hitomi a lot. Her warm smile, and her lovely voice; everything about her was amazing. Being a sixteen year old king was not easy, and having almost no one to help him through his teenage years was very devastating. Even Merle could not provide adequate comfort; she was still too childish to understand.

Van looked at the pile of letters sitting in front of him. Almost every one of them was from a king offering their assistance in the rebuilding of Fanelia. It warmed his heart to know that so many people cared about the well being of his country: yet, he felt very lost and alone without Hitomi to keep him grounded.

"I hope you return to Fanelia someday, Hitomi," he whispered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Yukari couldn't believe what her friend was saying. How could that possibly be the cause of her distraction?

"I know it's hard to believe Yukari but I just know that something bad is going to happen to me! I don't know why or when, I just know it's going to happen very soon," Hitomi insisted. "And there's nothing we can do to stop it."

"Oh Hitomi," Yukari sighed, "I believe you, but what's the point of telling me if there's nothing we can do?" Hitomi reached across the table and placed her hand on Yukari's.

"Because you're my best friend," she explained. "I wanted you to know just in case we never see each other again."

"Oh Hitomi!" Yukari cried, breaking down into tears. Hitomi opened her mouth in order to speak, but she sensed something coming. Moments later, Yukari's brown eyes went wide and Hitomi found herself bathed in light.

"NO, HITOMI!" Yukari screamed as she was lifted into the sky.

I actually started writing this a long time ago, but I never finished it. I want to know if I should just forget about it or if I should continue with the next chapter. Could you please tell me in a review? And PLEASE be completely honest. You won't hurt my feelings, trust me. I don't like the prologue and the first chapter that much anyway; the rest of the story will be more interesting.


	2. Shades of Green

AN: I noticed a mistake in this chapter so I edited it. I'm glad I discovered it! ^^'

Lapse in Time

Chapter 2: Shades of Green

Hitomi's forest green eyes slowly fluttered open, and she began to look around.

__

Where am I? she thought.

Carefully she pulled herself up onto her feet and studied her surroundings. All she could see was trees, so many trees. Then memories started flooding back to her.

__

This must be Gaea!

Hitomi began to walk around, hoping that she was somewhere near Fanelia. She didn't feel safe walking around in the forest alone, and she desperately wanted to find someone she knew before nightfall.

Hitomi hiked through the thick forest for what felt like hours, but it seemed to her that she was getting no where. The sky was already growing darker. She needed to find shelter, now.

"Damn it!" Hitomi cried as she tripped over the surfaced roots of a tree. Quickly she examined her leg, and to her dismay she found a short piece of wood protruding out of it. She pulled it out and threw it to the side and was about to wipe away the blood when a sound caught her attention, the sound of a twig being snapped in half. In seconds Hitomi was on her feet.

"Who's there?" she demanded. There was no answer. "I know someone's there! Answer me!"

From behind an old tree a tall, well built man appeared, pulling a dagger from his belt. More men began to show themselves, all of them carrying some sort of weapon. Out of no where yet another man appeared and grabbed Hitomi from behind and pressed something cold and hard to her neck.

"What's in the bag sweetie?" he said in a mocking tone.

"Please don't hurt me!" Hitomi replied nervously.

"What's in the damn bag!" another man growled. Hitomi was too petrified to speak. "Give it to me then!" The man grabbed the bag from Hitomi and tried to open it, but he was unsuccessful.

"This damn thing won't open!"

"Show us how to open the bag sweetie, and we won't hurt you," the first man said.

"There's nothing valuable in there!" Hitomi exclaimed. Suddenly one of the men grabbed her leg just below her knee. Hitomi kicked him hard with her other leg, but then the first man grabbed it, and then the rest of the men started grabbing at her legs and arms. She let out a terrified scream just as a heavy club smashed into her head, knocking her unconscious. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In another part of the forest, a beautiful white stallion ran swiftly through the trees, it's hooves making a steady beating sound on the forest floor. It's rider held on so tightly to the reins that his knuckles were turning white. He had seen the pillar of light, and knew that could only mean one thing. Someone from the Mystic Moon had come to Gaea, and that person was mostly likely Hitomi Kanzaki.

The rider was none other than Van Fanel, the king of all Fanelia. It had been a year since he had last seen the brown haired tomboy, and in his heart he knew he just had to see her again. Even a glimpse of that warm smile would put his heart at peace.

__

Oh Hitomi, where are you? he thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Throughout the forest the sound of a rolling cart filled the silent air. A woman of forty was walking slowly, dragging a large cart behind her, which was filled with a variety of food and fine fabrics. Her head was hanging low in sorrow, but for some reason she didn't notice the rigid figure sprawled face down on the ground. The woman's green eyes, the same shade as Hitomi's, spotted it just before the collision.

Once the old woman was back on her feet, she examined the person she had fallen over, hoping that he or she was still alive. Gentle hands grabbed the figure's shoulders and turned it over, revealing the kind, young face of a woman.

"Ranna?" the old woman gasped.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Van's heart was pounding as he frantically searched the forest. He had been searching for hours, and not a single sign of his loved one had been found. Daylight was beginning to grow dim, and Van knew that he would have to head back to the castle soon with or without Hitomi.

"Hitomi!" he called, trying to hold back his tears.

After that moment, everything was like a dream. No, it was not like a dream; it was like a nightmare. Van spotted a strange object lying on the ground. He guided the stallion to the object and jump off swiftly. To his excitement, a closer inspection proved that it was Hitomi's duffel bag.

"Hitomi!" he called again, except this time with excitement. "Hitomi, where are you?"

The following minutes seemed like hours. Van's heart ached, and his lungs burned as he slowly lost his breath. "HITOMI!" he screamed.

It was then that he noticed the tiny bloodstains in the grass….

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In a small cottage near the border of Fanelia, a young woman awoke to a sweet aroma. Her head was spinning, and her mind was blank; she couldn't remember anything.

_Where am I? _she thought.

The soft sound of humming filled her ears, calming the woman. Her green eyes fluttered open.

_Who am I?_

Gradually the humming became louder. An old woman with olive eyes and a soft, warm smile entered the little room. She sat herself down on a stool beside the bed the woman was laying on. Her movements were graceful; she reminded the young woman of a white bird that she believed was called a swan.

"I see you have awaken," the old woman spoke, placing a cloth in a bowl of cold water and laying it gently across the woman's forehead. "I was beginning to think that you had died!" The young woman looked at the elder with curious eyes, studying her hair –which was still its original sandy brown- and her softly wrinkled face. 

_Why do I feel so strange yet comfortable around this woman?_

"What's going on?" the young woman spoke. "Who am I? Who are you?"

The older woman chuckled slightly. "I was afraid you had lost your memory, Ranna,"

"Ranna?"

"Yes, your name is Ranna." The woman paused for a moment to breathe, then said, with tears sparkling in the corners for her eyes, "My name is Enila, and I am your mother,"

Yes! I finally finished the second chapter! You know what? This is the first chapter story that I've ever written that isn't humor! Ehehehehehehe! It's like a big step for me! Wooooo! I've never really been good at writing serious stories, but ff.net has really helped me improve my writing so I finally decided to give it a try! I'm very happy with the amount of reviews I've received so far for this story. I usually don't get that many that fast! Thank you so much to those people who reviewed chapter 1!

~Theo G


	3. Unexpected Meeting

Lapse in Time

Chapter 3: Unexpected Meeting

"Yes, your name is Ranna." The woman paused for a moment to breathe, then said, with tears sparkling in the corners for her eyes, "My name is Enila, and I am your mother,"

"Enila," Ranna spoke, testing out the strange word. "How come I don't remember you?" Enila froze for a second, speechless.

_What can I say? _She pondered. "Well, you were in an accident dear, a terrible accident. You tripped and hit your head on a rock. You sustained quite an injury to your head; you must've lost your memory."

"What is this place?"

"This is our home," Enila replied with tears rolling down her cheeks. "Oh Ranna, I'm so glad you are okay!" Ranna sat up in her bed and wrapped her arms around the older woman's shoulders in comfort.

"I love you, Mother," she whispered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_One year later...._

"Ranna, be a dear and grab the last two baskets for me," Enila called from the main entrance of their house. "And make sure you've packed everything you need,"

Once the two baskets her mother had referred to were secure in her arms, Ranna rolled her eyes. Enila was sometimes a very strict woman. She always worried about her, especially after the accident two years ago. Ranna yawned, walked carefully out the door, and placed the baskets on the old wood cart. She lifted the lid of the first one and peered inside. There were many beautiful necklaces, many of which she had made herself. Each bead glittered in the morning sunlight, and Ranna wished that she could keep every necklace to herself.

She reached into the basket and grabbed a necklace with reddish brown beads. Using them hem of her dress and her delicate fingers she polished each stone until it shone brighter than every other necklace in the basket. The stones, for some unexplainable reason, reminded her of something. Whenever she saw any object that color, her heart was instantly warmed. Ranna figured that these strange feelings most likely had something to do with an event from her past, but she still had no memories of her life before now.

"Ranna, put that back!" her mother snapped. "We can't waste any time! We have to get to town before dark." Once again, Ranna rolled her eyes.

"Yes mother," she said in a sarcastic tone. The older woman raised her eyebrows, but kept silent and finished loading the last baskets on the cart. She swept one hand across her glistening forehead to remove the unsightly sweat forming below her hairline. The heat was far too intense for such work.

"Get on your horse dear," Enila instructed. "My friend is expecting us, and we must not keep her waiting!" Swiftly, so as not to infuriate her mother, Ranna mounted her horse. She stroked it's ebony mane tenderly and waited while her mother attached the cart to the saddles of the horses. They rode off into the beautiful sunrise, never realizing that within a few days their lives would change forever.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The large pile of letters looked depressing to Van. He had somehow managed to read everyone, and every letter offered the daughter of some king or noble man. Even more depressing was the face of the older man sitting in a chair on the other side of his massive desk, a face darkened by frustration. The man ran his hand through his greying auburn hair and sighed heavily.

"My Lord," he spoke, "I just don't understand why you can't give _any _of these offers more consideration."

"I don't wish to speak of this, Pyrus," Van replied coldly, keeping his eyes away from the older man's exhausted glare.

"That is enough Lord Van!" Pyrus exploded. "Ever since the end of the Great War I've had to see you in this miserable condition every day, and it's all because of that girl. That was two years ago! A true king would move on with his life and do what is best for his country!" Van stood up abruptly and slammed his hands down onto the table.

"It has nothing to do with Hitomi leaving me at the end of the war! Don't you remember that day last year?" The young king placed his hand on his face concealing his tears. "All I could find was her bag…and there was blood….she's gone Pyrus. She's gone and I couldn't save her!" Pyrus took a deep breath to calm himself and walked out of the king's study, slamming the door behind him. Van crumpled to the floor and hit the wooden planks repeatedly with his fist in misery.

"Hitomi is gone, and it's all my fault," he whispered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ranna could sense each day growing longer and the chill forming in the autumn air. She instinctively wrapped her cloak tighter against her body as she watched the busy Fanelians in the market moving from shop to shop eagerly. The sweet aroma of freshly baked bread surrounded her, and she was tempted to leave her stall and find something to eat; however, she had promised her mother that she wouldn't run off.

Every so often, a customer would walk up to Ranna's stall and purchase some food or fine fabrics, or even one of the gorgeous necklaces that she and her mother had made so carefully together. Every year they would prepare such things to sell in the market, and then they would purchase goods with the money they had made.

Finally, after being away for what seemed like hours, Enila returned with two baskets cradled in her arms.

"Be a dear and help me put this away," Enila said, placing the baskets on the ground. Ranna immediately bent down and assisted her mother.

Meanwhile, coming nearer and nearer to Enila and Ranna's shop was Van along with a small party of servants and one of the princesses of Basram who was in Fanelia for a visit. The princess, whose name was Jenra, clung protectively to Van's arm just like Merle always had. Jenra was young, and she obviously thought Van was going to marry her; the very thought of it made Van sick.

"Oh Van!" Jenra exclaimed in that high-pitched tone she always used around the young king, "those necklaces are so beautiful!" She pointed towards one of the stalls, one with necklaces, baked goods, and fine fabrics for sale. The young princess dragged Van to the store and instantly grabbed a necklace with tiny blue beads and one large navy bead in the center. Van was too tired and miserable to care, so he took some money out of the pocket of his black pants.

"Excuse me, is there anyone here?" the boy king asked. Seconds afterwards, lovely young woman with sandy brown hair and beautiful forest green eyes stood up and smiled at Van.

"Can I help you?"

Van's lower jaw dropped open, and his eyes nearly bulged out at the sight of the woman. He stared intensely at her for a number of minutes until Jenra tugged at his arm.

"What's wrong Van?"

All Van could say was one word, and it came out as a whisper.

"Hitomi?!"


	4. Words of Heart Ache

Lapse in Time

Chapter 4: Words of Heart Ache

"Hitomi?!"

The woman on the other side of the stall looked at Van with intense confusion in her eyes.

"Excuse me?" she asked as politely as she could. The reddish brown eyes of the stranger before her widened momentarily before he spoke again.

"But I thought you were dead Hitomi! What are you doing here? What's going on?" Van stopped to take a breath, then continued but with a softer tone. "I missed you Hitomi. I'm so glad you're alive…"

"What are you talking about?" The young king stopped in mid-sentence. What was she saying?

Just as Van was opening his mouth to question Hitomi, another woman who looked quite alike her stood up and looked towards Van.

"Your Majesty!" she exclaimed. "How may I help you?"

"I'm sorry," Van replied, "but there seems to be some confusion here. What is Hitomi doing here?"

"Hitomi?" The older woman eyed him in a perplexed manner. "No, no, her name is not Hitomi. I'm Enila Marr and this is my daughter, Ranna." There was a moment of silence as everything began to sink in.

"I'm sorry," Van said sadly. "I must be mistaken." With that he turned away and walked briskly surprising his young companion.

"Van, slow down!" Jenra begged. The boy king had no choice but to oblige. He slowed his pace but kept his face turned away from her's. Jenra, being the nosy little person she was, asked him, "Who is Hitomi?" Van growled silently in his throat.

"She was a…an old friend of mine," he replied coldly. "I'd rather not discuss it." Jenra despised it when she was left with a cliffhanger like that, and she opened her mouth to protest, but the king's miserable expression forced her to think otherwise.

As the pair disappeared from sight, Ranna watched intently. _Why did he call me Hitomi? _she thought. _And why does he seem so familiar? _She reached out with one delicate hand to the man her mother had called 'Your Majesty' knowing that she could not reach him. Something inside of her insisted that she chase after the raven haired boy, but she stayed behind. She had promised her mother.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There was a silent knock on Van's door, but he dared not answer it. His did not want anyone to see their beloved king with a face wet with tears.

"Go away!" he yelled coldly.

"Lord Van, its Merle," a voice replied. "Now open the damn door!" Merle pounded on the door, but Van wouldn't allow himself to budge.

"Come on Lord Van, I'm your best friend! You can tell me what's wrong." There was still no response. Merle was becoming incredibly frustrated, so she opened the unlocked door and stormed into to the king's bedroom. Van was lying on his bed with his pale face hidden in the soft pillows.

"Lord Van?"

"I would prefer it if you called me 'Van' instead of 'Lord Van', Merle," The young cat woman smiled. At least he was talking!

"But Lor…I mean Van, I've called you that since I could speak!"

"And I've had to deal with it since you could speak, so please stop it."

Merle sighed heavily, and said, "What's wrong Van? What has happened to make you so miserable?"

"I saw her."

"Saw who?"

"Hitomi." Merle gasped loudly. "She had longer hair, but I know it was her."

"Hitomi is…alive! But then why are you so sad?" Strangely, Van's body became rigid. Merle knew that she was coming closer and closer to discovering his problem.

"Tell me," she coaxed.

"She was in the market selling jewelry, food, and fabrics." The boy king took in a deep breath to prevent himself from crying. "She didn't remember me." Merle became totally silent; when Van turned his head to look at her she had covered her mouth with her hand, and her eyes had widened.

"I can't believe it," she whispered.

"It's gets worse," Van said blankly. "There was a woman who claimed to be her mother. She looked a lot like Hitomi, but it's just…impossible!"

"Maybe the girl wasn't Hito…"

"It was her, I know it!" Van growled. His young friend sighed again and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Then you'll just have to find her and make her remember Van,"

"And how do you propose I do that," Van snorted.

"I don't know Van, I just don't know."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Although the clouds in the morning sky were grey and unsightly, Enila Marr was practically beaming. Ranna glared at her ecstatic mother then turned her head away in annoyance.

"Oh Ranna, don't be so sour," Enila teased merrily. "Every grey cloud has a silver lining."

"I don't see any silver."

"Oh child, do cheer up. This is the first year that we have sold everything! And the King actually came to our shop! Amazing!"

"He didn't buy anything," Ranna scoffed.

"That's not the point dear."

"So is talking to royalty and sucking up to them all that matters to you?"

"That's enough!" Enila snapped. "I don't know what's bothering you, but I suggest that you either change your attitude or stay quiet." Her words silenced Ranna, but her daughter's mind was racing with thoughts and questions.

_Mother doesn't understand. She never will. I just wish I could remember what happened before the accident. _Ranna watched as the dark clouds slowly parted allowing the sunlight to follow through; she could feel it's comforting warmth on her skin and her spirit slowly being lifted. 

_Why did the King call me Hitomi? _was her final thought as the buzz of the market faded behind her, and the open country of Fanelia's border came into full view.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sunlight, as beautiful and loved as it was, eventually disappeared once again behind grey skies and was replaced by cold, pounding rain. Every person who was in the streets when the storm began ran to find shelter, except for one lonely figure that walked through the weather without complaint. It seemed to suit his mood anyway. The young man raked one hand through his drenched raven hair and latched his hand onto the small, red pendant, which lay protected against his chest. As he walked along the stone pathway he thought about what had happened only and hour before….

"Look Van, you have to stop moping around," Merle said, her voice raising. "Why don't you go find Hitomi? Make her remember."

"You can't….do that. It's impossible."

"Damnit, would you just try it?

"It won't work." Van retorted. "You can't make a person with amnesia remember the past, they have to regain their memories on their own." The young cat girl stamped her foot hard on the wood floor.

"Fine! Give up! I may be your best friend Lord Van, but I can't stand you're negativity!" She turned sharply towards the door and slammed it as she exited; the loud bang caused the boy king to jump, and his heart to race.

"I'm sorry, Merle," he whispered uselessly….

_Maybe she was right _Van thought as he unconsciously kicked a large stone. _If I really want Hitomi back I should go find her. _And with that, Van headed back to his castle, but with a small smile on his pale face.


	5. Fields of Remembrance

Lapse in Time

Chapter 5: Fields of Remembrance

As the large, wooden door of the Fanelian castle slowly creaked open, everyone nearby snapped their heads towards it and saw their King step inside; small droplets of rain were rolling down his drenched body. A servant quickly offered Van a fresh towel, which he took gratefully. Across the hallway stood Merle, but her expression advised the boy King to approach her carefully. The young cat woman was glaring at him with sapphire eyes that were shining with unshed tears. As Van advanced towards her, gliding as smoothly as a white swan on a moonlit pond, Merle turned her head away and lowered it so that her hair concealed her watering eyes.

"Please Merle," Van spoke; his voice was smooth and caring, and Merle couldn't resist looking into his unique chestnut eyes. "Don't be mad at me, I'm sorry for being so miserable." The boy King reached out and took one of Merle's delicate hands into his own gloved ones. She could tell, instantly, that he was being sincere, but her senses told her that he had much more to say, so she merely nodded and smiled in gratitude.

"Merle, I have made a decision," Van explained. "I have decided to find Hitomi, and hopefully aid her in regaining her memory."

Merle's instant embrace came as no surprise to him. No matter how much she grew and matured, the cat girl would always be emotional and would always have a warm hug ready for her friend. Van placed one hand softly on the crown of Merle's head as she wept in happiness. It was as if months of pain and sorrow were finally lost in the darkness of the past, and the future seemed so bright….

If only Van could make Hitomi remember him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Fanelia was a rather small country, at least when compared to Asturia. It existed mostly in a large valley surrounded my lush, green forests; however, there was a smaller area of flat land just outside the valley's boarders; this land had be acquired from Asturia in small amounts from the time when Goau Fanel was King until the present day. Few people lived on these lands, save for a few farming families trying to make a living in the serene countryside. Among these families were a middle aged woman and her young daughter. They lived peacefully in a quaint house near the border between Asturia and Fanelia, and they were known to the citizens as Enila and Ranna Marr.

Outside of their dwelling there was a large garden used to grow vegetables, and a smaller, yet exquisite flower garden, which grew around a miniature water fountain. The sound of continuously flowing water added to the tranquillity of the garden. Ranna sighed lightly as she watched it. The water fountain was a new invention that originated in Asturia; Ranna was pleased that her mother had decided to purchase one, for they were so very relaxing. She aimlessly dipped her hand in the water and found it somewhat cold to the touch. As she removed her hand, Ranna noticed that the water began to move in an odd circular motion, but she dismissed it as a ripple created when she extracted her hand from the cool liquid. Nevertheless, it the movement continued, and the circle became larger and larger until it appeared as though there was a black void opening in the center of it. Tears began to trickle from her eyes, but for no apparent reason.

Minutes, minutes that seemed like hours, passed by, and in the darkness Ranna could see faint images: a swinging pendant, the Fanelian crest, the mystic moon, and a strange figure with glistening white wings. And as these scenes played before her, a name penetrated into her mind.

_V....V....Va....Va....Van?_

"Ranna!" a familiar voice called out. The images in the pond instantly disappeared as Ranna snapped her head towards the sound. "Ranna, come to the house! Quickly dear!" Her mother's urgency had brought an end to the strange events, and for that reason, Ranna had become partially irate, and yet she rose to her feet and ran steadily to the house, leaving behind her flower garden, a tiny place that now held an air of mystery.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The second that Ranna stepped through the back door, she could hear the voices of her mother and a strange man talking in the hall at the front entrance. She cocked her head gently to one side attempting to see the stranger, but her mother was still in the way, so she cleared her throat instead to gain their attention.

"Ranna, so there you are!" Enila said, her voice ringing like a small bell. "We have a guest. Would you mind taking his bags to the guest room?" Just as Ranna opened her mouth to reply, the stranger stepped past Enila, and she could finally see the strange man-and yet, he was no stranger.

"No, Enila, I am quite capable of taking my own luggage. I don't want to be a burden during my stay."

_Stay? STAY? _Ranna's mind screamed. "Well then, allow me to show you to the guest room." she said as sweetly as her mind would allow her. The man nodded, picked up his bags, and followed the young woman down the hallway to a small room with a bed pushed against the far wall and a large window with wood shutters.

_It's very...quaint _The man decided.

"I shall leave you to get comfortable, your Majesty," Ranna said solemnly. She then turned around and walked briskly through the hallway and out the front door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was near evening when Van finally heard a soft knock on his door. For a moment he did not answer, but a second knock urged him to do so.

"Yes?"

"My Lord," a soft voice answered him from the other side, "supper is nearly finished."

"I shall be out in a minute." The King responded. He listened as the sound of Enila's steps on the wood floor grew slowly weaker and then turned his head towards the window. The sun was now setting, and the sky looked so unbelievably exquisite that a small gasp escaped from Van's lips. Never before had he seen the sky change colors during a sunset! Perhaps he was too busy to notice. Streaks of orange and bright pink where strewn across the expanse of the evening sky, and he could even see the moon–and the Mystic Moon-in the distance. As he looked upon the strange planet, everything seemed to disappear, and he found himself in a black void where only he and the earth existed. And in the darkness he cried out her name….

Suddenly, Van opened his chestnut eyes and gasped for breath.

_What happened? Was that a vision? _The King laid his arms on the windowsill and rested his head upon of them. _No wonder she appeared to be tortured._ He raised his eyes and once again scanned the land surrounding the Marr household. There were many things to see: a vegetable garden, a wide open field with a lush, green forest in the distance, and a small, exquisite flower garden. And sitting among the flowers was none other than Ranna. _No, not Ranna, Hitomi, _he reminded himself. Van couldn't believe that he was actually forgetting who the girl really was!

For what seemed like hours, Van watched Ranna intently as she watered the beautiful flowers and ran her hand through the cool water of the little fountain which sit in the center. A wide, soft smile spread across his face from cheek to cheek; no matter what Hitomi was doing, she always appeared so graceful and beautiful to him. It was truly magic. Or maybe it was just his undying love for the mysterious girl from the Mystic Moon that clouded his mind and filled his heart with such adoration.

Suddenly Van found that he was no longer staring at the delicate form of Ranna but rather he was looking straight into her enchanting emerald eyes. The boy king jumped away from the window and fell off his chair onto the cold wood floor. His tanned face was now red with embarrassment. He prayed that she hadn't seen him.

There was a soft knock on the door, and a now familiar voice called to him.

"Lord Van, supper is ready. I suggest you come while it's still hot." Van licked his dry lips and brought himself to his feet. He took one last look at the tranquil and garden and was disappointed when he saw that Ranna was no longer there. She seemed so peaceful in that garden……the boy King shook pushed those thoughts into the back of his mind, and thought only of what lay ahead of him: a chance of getting Hitomi back.

AN: Sorry that I took so long to get this chapter out. Theo is lazy :P And yes, I have noticed that this chapter (and all my other chapters) are pretty short. I just hope that doesn't bother people because I know it bothers me sometimes. ^.^' I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible.


	6. Vision of the Past

Note: It has been months since I released a new chapter! I apologize for taking so long. I had practically given up on the story until yesterday when I read it and decided to continue it with at least one new chapter. I would like to mention that I changed the time frame between Hitomi's attack and her chance meeting with Van in the market place to one year instead of two. I would also like to mention that Hitomi was not raped in chapter two. I received a review a long time ago asking if she had been, but she wasn't. The men grabbed her so that they could get a clear, easy shot at her head, and after the blow one of them spotted Enila, so they fled leaving Hitomi behind. I should've written that into the story, but I didn't think of it at the time.

Lapse in Time

Chapter 6: Vision of the Past

Enila always had a strange laugh. It started as a small chuckle, and then exploded into booming laughter with closed eyes and reddened cheeks. Ranna wouldn't be surprised if his Majesty's sleep had been ended by her mother's abrupt change in spirits. The young woman hadn't even tried to be funny when she told her mother about the night before and the King's staring eyes.

__

Honestly! She thought, exasperated. _What is so hilarious about that? _She knew from then on that she would not share her feelings with her mother.

Hoping to escape her Enila's childish behavior, Ranna placed several food items from the array of breakfast dishes on the table onto a tray and walked to the guestroom where Van was staying. Ranna gently placed the tray on the ground and gently knocked on the door. It had not been fully closed, so the moment her knuckles touched the old wood the door creaked open, showing the young King asleep on his bed. The soft, white blanket had slipped down to his waist, revealing his bare back, and Ranna realized-with embarrassment-that Fanelia's King preferred to sleep without a stitch of clothing on his tanned body. After starring at him for a few moments, Ranna closed the door and proceeded to knock on the door and call out his name.

"Your Highness? Lord Van? Are you awake?" she asked. There was a quiet grumbling as the boy king stirred.

"Yes, I'm awake." he replied, annoyed that his dreams had been interrupted. "What is it?"

"I have your breakfast, if you're hungry," the young woman said as she picked up the tray. She could hear him treading across the floor while he reached for his clothing. When the door finally opened, Ranna shoved the food tray into Van's hands and turned to leave when his words cut her off.

"Stay a minute," he said, immediately regretting that the words had escaped his lips.

"Why?" Ranna inquired, raising her eyebrows in question.

"Because I…wanted to apologize for what I said…"

"Really Your Majesty, it wasn't that big of a deal." Ranna insisted. Van's lips curved downward in a frown.

"You appeared to be distressed. I was wondering why."

With hesitation Ranna stepped past the threshold, walked over to the window where the wooden chair stood, and sat down. Van followed, sitting himself on the bed and placing the tray beside him.

"Around a year ago, I had an accident-well, that's what mother tells me at least. I was taking a walk, apparently, and I tripped and hit my head on a rock. I completely lost my memories. I don't remember what my life before then was like." Ranna stopped for a moment to clear her throat, then continued. "Everyday I learn a little bit more about my past, and everyday my life makes a little more sense. When you called me 'Hitomi' it confused me. It made me question my identity, my whole life. Who was Hitomi anyway?"

Van's face was covered with a pained expression. His head hung low on his shoulder's; it appeared to Ranna that whoever Hitomi was, she was gone and her memory hurt the King terribly. "I'll explain later."

Ranna stood up, and with a final "Enjoy your breakfast", she left the room and closed the door behind her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Ranna came back to the kitchen, she found her mother sitting on her usual chair knitting some kind of scarf. The summer had become autumn very quickly, a thought that depressed the young woman. Autumn meant winter, and winter meant endless days of cold.

"It is going to be a lovely day," said Enila, her eyes not leaving her work. "You should invite His Majesty to come with you on a horse ride. I want him to enjoy himself during his stay." Ranna looked at her mother with a confused expression.

"Just why is he here mother? And for how long?" she questioned.

"He said that it was a long story and he couldn't explain. Something to do with politics. Ha! Everything has to do with politics." The older woman admired her handiwork for a moment before continuing with her explanation. "He's going to be here for about a week and a half-until his advisor comes to…retrieve him. I want you to make sure that he is treated properly. He is our King after all." She made sure to emphasize the last two lines with a louder tone and eye contact. Her young daughter knew that there was no use in arguing, so she turned on her heels and stomped her way back to the guest room, growling lightly in her throat.

_I just can't win with that woman!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Now that he had privacy and his mind was fully awake, Van began to straighten out the tan pants and long sleeved white shirt he had thrown on haphazardly. He tied a chocolate brown vest over top, and put on his boots, making sure that there was still a small knife in the left one. As he brushed his unruly black mop he eyed his sword but decided to leave it lying on the floor. Once he decided that he was presentable, the King placed his hand on the door handle and opened it. There, standing on the other side with her hand in a knocking fist, was Ranna. She seemed to be very irritated.

"Would you like to come on a horse ride with me?" she said, almost spitting as she talked. Van stood there, somewhat intimidated by her mood.

"Er…sure, it sounds great," he replied while thinking _What's gotten into her?_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"And this," Ranna explained, "is where I had my accident." Van looked upon the large stone with anger.

_I don't care how she lost her memory. Hitomi has lived a year of lies, and it has to stop! _"What a terrible thing it must be, to lose your memory and to not know what _really _happened during your life." the King said coldly. Ranna stared at him, obviously baffled by his tone.

The pair were riding across the beautiful Fanelian countryside on the same two horses that Ranna and her mother had used to ride to the marketplace so long ago. Learning to ride a horse again had not been easy for Ranna-it felt as if she had never been on a horse in her entire life. The thought almost scarred her. What if she wasn't really who she thought she was?

"Look," Van said suddenly, breaking the young woman's thoughts. "I think we're coming close to Arzas. They were in a small clearing now, and to Ranna, it seemed so familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

"I don't think I've been here before," she said softly.

_Oh yes you have, _Van thought bitterly.

And suddenly there was only blackness. Ranna was no longer sitting on her horse; now she was standing. But what was she standing on? There was nothing. Nothing except a white light that seemed to appear out of no where. And then there were figures, bathed in a column of light, slowly rising from the ground. The pictures from the scene in the water fountain played again but now in her mind: a swinging pendant, the Fanelian crest, the mystic moon, and a strange figure, silhouetted by light, with beautiful wings…

There ya go! Chapter 6. Now just pray that I find the inspiration to write chapter 7! Oh, and a quick note. Sorry to everyone who went to read chapter 6 and found out that it wasn't there. Apparently ff.net didn't make the changes. Errrrgh. ~T.G


	7. The Raging Storm

Yay, I'm back! I hope all of the fans of this story are still out there, because this one's for you!

Lapse in Time

Chapter 7: The Raging Storm

"Ranna?" Van spoke, his voice shaking. She didn't not reply. "Ranna!" he said louder. Her eyes twitched, and she twisted her body to face him.

"Yes my Lord?"

Van heaved a sigh of relief. "You went pale of all sudden. It was almost like you were…"

"Like I was what?"

"Never mind," Van replied bitterly.

"Tell me!" Ranna begged, her eyes widening with childish pleasure. "Please?"

"We'd better get back," the King said with finality in his voice. He turned his horse around, and with a swift kick in her sides he sent her off in a rapid pace. His young companion, obviously annoyed by his rude change of subject, chased after him with the wind whipping at her shoulder length hair.

"What is it Your Majesty?" she called.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" he yelled back. His eyes were no longer clouded in misery, but bright and cheerful, matching the smile that spread across his face. The high-speed chase had turned into a race between Ranna and the King, with Van still having the advantage. The young woman behind him, however, was quickly gaining. With his attention completely on her, Van did not notice the sky change until a droplet of rain splattered on his face or the thick forest at his right side. Grey clouds had spread themselves across the blue expanse, and thunder rumbled in their depths. A heavy storm was beginning.

As the rain began to poor, lighting began to explode in yellow tendrils across the sky. Van signaled to Ranna to stop as he did so himself. His horse trotted over to where she and her mare stood, drenched by the sudden downpour.

"I don't like that look of that lightning!" he yelled over the noise. "It's getting rather close to the ground." Worry was etched across his features as he watched the bolts reaching towards the field.

"What should we do?" Ranna responded.

"I'm not sure, but I don't think standing out here is doing us any good!" said Van.

"We should go home then!" Ranna decided out loud.

And Ranna was very correct in her decision, however late it was, for the angry, golden tendrils seemed to be coming ever closer, as though it was the intention of a powerful God to strike them down. The pair signaled their horses to run in the direction of the Marr's farm, but all too soon it became apparent that they simply could not make it in the storm. As the lightning inched closer, Ranna and Van became more and more fearful. It was then that a single bolt struck the ground only a metre away from Ranna's mare. The horse raised herself onto its hind feet and neighed in alarm, sending her rider to the ground hard and fast. The girl cried in pain. Van jumped from his horse instantly and ran to her side. It was only seconds before both animals were no longer visible.

Van turned his head from the field to Ranna and looked intensely into the emerald depths of her eyes as he said, "Are you alright?". She smiled gently at him despite the constant ache in her left wrist. "I'm okay," she spoke. And for a several minutes the sat there, gazing into each other's eyes as if nothing, not even the storm, existed. She knew she had felt like this before, but when? And for whom had she had those feelings?

Another crash of thunder reminded them of the imminent danger. He pulled her closer to his body where her face rested against his chest. _So warm,_ she thought, _and so strange. I remember this happening once before. The rain, the warmth of a lovers skin...it all happened before..._her thoughts ended as her body subdued to sneezes and hacking coughs.

"We have to find shelter before you die of cold!" the king exclaimed. He pulled himself to his feet, and she as well, and opened his eyes as much as he dared to seek any kind of cover.

"Over there!" Ranna yelled. She pointed with her finger to a small house that was barely visible in the rain. They ran, their legs carrying them like wings across the slippery grass and towards the trees where the old shack stood old and weak. It appeared bent and twisted with age and rot; obviously no one had lived there for years. Van threw the door open and when they were both safely inside he shut it with force causing the aged walls to shake and creak.

"Where did you go Ranna?" he asked, unable to spot her in the dark.

"Over here, of course," she teased. Van allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark, and then he saw that she was seated on a bed. _Strange that there should be a well kept bed in such an old house._ He moved to join her, tripping over a pot that had been lying on the floor in the process. Ranna burst with laughter, which made Van's face turn crimson. "Damn pot," he muttered under his breath. But his anger quickly ceased as his love reached out her arms to him-or was he just imagining it?

"Come here and warm up," she said softly. "The blankets are clean."

Once again, Van walked to the bed, only more cautiously than before. His red eyes watched Ranna once again with that same intensity as he sat next to her. Her whole body was shaking within her soaking clothes, and his blush increased as he realized what must be done.

"I know you'll probably hate the idea, but we'll both freeze to death in our wet clothes," he explained. "Since we have no fire, we must…well, you know…"

"Yeah," was all she said as she hesitantly slipped out of her clothes. The king did the same, and soon they were sitting against the wall, wrapped under multiple sheets, in nothing but their undergarments. Ranna kept her head turned towards the floor, fuming about how much she hated having to share a bed with the man, although it was really only an excuse to mask her embarrassment. Van too remained still, until he began to chuckle.

"What now?" Ranna snapped.

"Oh, it's just…," Van replied, "that your hair is tickling me!" This made Ranna forget her feelings of anger.

"Well then, how does this feel?" she giggled and began to move her fingers quickly up and down his sides. Now Van was the one laughing loudly, and he tried to push her off. When that didn't work, he instead fought back with the same weapon, tickling her stomach until fell onto the cold ground, still laughing. Once she was certain that he would not attack her again, she climbed back onto the bed and into his open arms. She did not mind being so close to him now-his skin was warm and she was freezing.

After a few minutes of silence, Ranna spoke. "Don't think I'm doing this because I like you."

To that, Van retorted, "And I share the same feelings."

…And the question began to nag her once again, the one she had no possible answer to. It was a silly event; meaningless at best and-or was it meaningless? She just couldn't hold on any longer…

"Your majesty, why did you call me by that name? Why Hitomi?"

_I knew she would ask, it was only a matter of time... _"Oh, it was nothing really. You just look a lot like a women I once new, and that was her name."

"Oh."

"Why is it bothering you now?"

Ranna sighed deeply. "It's because of my accident. Since that day, as you know, I've had no recollections of my past, none except for several strange images in my dreams. And sometimes I feel as though I'm…..well, that I'm not the person I think I am. I thought that maybe, just maybe, when you called me by that name all my questions would be answered, but I guess not….sorry. I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems. I'm certain that you have enough to deal with back home."

"No, it's alright," Van spoke. "I don't mind."

"Then may I ask you a question?" she wondered aloud. The king nodded his head drowsily; in spite of the time of day, he felt very sleepy."Did you love her?"

Memories of Hitomi, _his_ Hitomi, flashed through his mind like a dragon across a sunlit sky. Her warm smile, her daring laugh, her worried tears…and suddenly he was back in the creaking house, in bed with her-no, not _her_, but another girl entirely, as though there had been a lapse in time.

"Yes, I loved her so very much."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sweet scent of morning dew rode on the air as feathers in the wind. What remained of last night's storm was nothing but water droplets glistening on the trees-even the earth's wounds caused by the strings of lightning were beginning to heal. Ranna and Van, who had slept well all night, were now making their way by foot to Enila Marr's cabin in the forest. It would be at least a half an hour before they would return, and that thought irritated Ranna. She hated the king for causing her feelings of doubt, she hated herself for being so open to him, and most of all, she hated her feelings for him, feelings that came out of now where. What a foolish girl she was.

Notwithstanding the pleasant change in weather, the king, too, was feeling frustrated. Not only was Ranna completely ignoring him as though last night had never happened, but he had this constant doubt that everything was alright. Somehow, that storm hadn't just _happened_. There was a reason for it, something symbolic. It had poured heavily the night before he had found Hitomi's duffel bag the previous year, and there had been fierce lightning as well-exactly the same. The tension in the atmosphere only increased when the pair reached the little cottage. Something was not right, and they could both feel it.

They found Enila inside, sitting in the living room with a young man dressed in the armor of a Fanelian samurai.

"Your highness…" the boy began, but he seemed unable to speak. Enila spoke instead. "First off, I'm not angry at either of you. I found the horses this morning in the barn and am aware that the storm kept you. But now, young Gavin here has something important to tell his Majesty."

"Y-y-ess," he stammered. "Last night, after everyone was asleep and the storm was still fighting, someone came into the castle unnoticed. We think his intention was to murder you, but you were not there. He must've made a lot of noise, because he managed to wake several people. T-two of them were found in your room sire." He swallowed heavily, and was quiet for so long that Van grew enraged.

"Then WHAT?" he shouted.

The boy shook a little. "They were both dead. One was a servant, the other was Pyrus." Van froze in shock.

__

Why Pyrus? Why? He was like a father to me, just as Balgus was. Why does every man I look up to have to perish?

But Gavin wasn't finished. "I'm afraid it gets worse sire. There was a note left on your bed, stained with blood. Whoever did this has taken Merle."

Okay, I'm extremely tired of the sappy romance story, so I had to throw this plot twist in. I hope it helps to add some more interest to the story rather than make it fall flat on its face.

Hopefully I'll come out with more soon!

~T.G


End file.
